Corrections Capt. James Bailey has been offered the chance to administer the Two Bridges Regional Jail.

The jail authority on Wednesday unanimously offered the job to Bailey, who has been interim administrator since April.

Bailey, who said he plans to accept, was selected from six finalists. Wednesday’s decision appears to bring a two-month hiring process to an end.

Bailey said he is nervous and excited to take the position. As administrator, Bailey said he will focus on security and filling positions to relieve overtaxed staff.

“I want to expand on our programming,” Bailey said. “We contract with other agencies to board their prisoners … we need to show the services that we’re offering to their inmates, and to the community in general.

“The reality is when an inmate leaves those doors, they’re (going) into the community,” he added.

Bailey became interim administrator in April, after former administrator Mark Westrum resigned. Westrum had been on paid leave since January, following his October 2016 arrest for operating under the influence in Bath.

“Thank you for getting us through this difficult time,” authority member Brett Strout told Bailey on Wednesday.

Bailey has 17 years of experience in corrections under his belt. He started in Kennebec County and later transferred to the former Lincoln County Jail. In 2005, he was hired at Two Bridges as one of the original members of the transition team.

Bailey thanked staff and jail authority members who helped him as the interim administrator. Bailey said the job is different every day, which allows him to help a lot of people. He’s often out in the community, whether at Walmart or the Topsham Fair, and someone will stop him and thank him.

“That means a lot to me,” he said.

One of Bailey’s favorite Two Bridges programs is Beyond the Bars, where inmates provide local shelter dogs with simple training. The dogs gain obedience skills to take to their new homes, while the inmates build self-esteem by working with the dogs.

Bailey lives in Topsham, has three children and is engaged to be married.

The jail authority’s executive committee will now draft a contract for Bailey. Contract terms, including salary, have yet to be determined.

dmoore@timesrecord.com